Multiple purpose tool



June 12, 1962 F. MAcHTLE 3,038,177

MULTIPLE PURPOSE TOOL Filed Aug. 17, 1959 IN V EN TOR.

F/P/IZ mica/25 ATTO/P/VE) nite States Free 3,038,177 MULTIPLE PURPOSET001.

Fritz Machtle, Korntal, near Stuttgart, Germany, assignor to FritzMiichtle G.m.b.H., Korntal, near Stuttgart, Germany Filed Aug. 17, 1959,Ser. No. 834,343 Claims priority, application Germany Sept. 3, 1958 7Claims. (Cl. 7--8.1)

The present invention relates to a multiple-purpose tool for use bytinkers, in households, workshops and the like.

It is already known to provide a comparatively small universal handtool, for example, by utilizing the hollow handgrip member as a meansfor storing certain implements, such as screw drivers, drills and thelike. The disadvantage of presently known tools of such design is inthat the implements must invariably be interchanged whenever a differentfunction is to be performed by the tool, i.e. that the transformation ofthe device from say a hammer into a drill, screw driver or any othertype of hand tool always necessitates at least partial disassembly andrenewed assembly of the device.

An important object of the present invention is to provide amultiple-purpose tool which is so constructed as to be capable ofperforming at least two widely difierent functions in connecting withsimilar or dissimilar materials without requiring any interchange,removal or addition of component parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a universal tool which maybe utilized simultaneously as a hammer and nail remover and/or as a handsaw, and which may be readily transformed into a screw driver, awl,drill or like implement.

A further object of the instant invention is to provide amultiple-purpose tool which is particularly suitable for use inhouseholds and home workshops, and which may be readily taken apart fortransportation and storage.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a combined hammerand hand saw which may be readily transformed into a screw driver, adrill, an awl or a number of other implements for use in workshops andhouseholds in connection with the treatment and processing of wood,metal, plastic and many other substances.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a universal tool ofthe above outlined characteristics which is of very compact design;which occupies little space when taken apart for storage ortransportation; which may be taken apart and reassembled within veryshort periods of time; which consists of a small number of componentparts; and which may be rapidly transformed into a Wood working, icecutting, or metal or plastic working tool.

With the above objects in view, the invention resides in the provisionof a preferably hollow handgrip member which is connected with a hollowexternally threaded sleeve capable of alternately receiving the handlesor shafts of various implements or tool members, such as awls, hammers,screw drivers, drills and a number of others. Releasable connectionbetween the sleeve and the handle of a selected tool member may beestablished by a cap screw which is threaded onto the preferably slottedfree end of the hollow sleeve to compress the latter and to generatebetween the handle and the sleeve a frictional force sufficient toinsure safe retention of a selected tool member when the novelmultiple-purpose tool is put to actual use. At least some or allcomparatively short.

tool members may be stored in the hollow handle and, when not in use,are preferably locked therein by a thread ed plug or the like.

The important feature of my invention resides in that themultiple-purpose tool may simultaneously support a hammer and a sawblade in such manner that the hammer and the saw blade may be utilizedwithout requiring removal or addition of any parts whatever, i.e. thatthe hammer and the saw blade may be utilized simultaneously by which ismeant that the hammer need not be removed when the saw blade is used andvice versa. In fact, the hammer constitutes one component part of themeans for guiding, retaining and supporting the saw blade during actualuse. The other end of the saw blade is supported, guided and tensionedby a special bracket which is adjustable in its position with respect tothe sleeve by a ring nut screwed onto the sleeve beneath the screw cap;the ring nut is adapted to urge the annular end or eye of the bracket ina direction toward the handgrip member. The other end of the bracket isslotted to receive one end of the saw blade and to engage with a pin orlike member carried by the latter. The other end of the blade extendsthrough a suitable slot formed in the hamer head and is retained by thelatter due to the provision of a second transverse pin carried by thesaw blade and receivable in a transverse recess in the hamer head. Byrotating the ring nut about the sleeve, the saw blade may be subjectedto requisite tension due to movements of the bracket toward or away fromthe handgrip member, depending upon the direction in which the nut isrotated.

The hammer and the saw blade may be separated from the handgrip memberafter the bracket is moved in a direction away from the handgrip memberand upon subsequent release of the screw cap to permit withdrawal of thehammer handle.

It is preferred to utilize a so-called claw-hammer whose slotted orbifurcated head may serve as a means for extracting nails and maysimultaneously serve as a means for holding and guiding one end of thesaw blade. Upon withdrawal of the hammer handle, the handle of adifferent implement may be inserted into the sleeve of the handgripmember to be securely retained therein by the tightly drawn screw cap.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood with reference to the following description of aspecific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is perspective view of the fully assembled multiple-purpose toolready to be used as a hammer and/or saw, and further showing a plugremoved from the rear end of the handgrip member as well as a series ofalternate tool members which may be stored in the hollow handgripmember;

FIG. 2 is perspective'view of the partly assembled multiple-purpose toolwith the screw cap separated from the handgrip member; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the tool in the form it assumes whenused as a screw driver, a portion of the hand-grip member being brokenaway.

Referring now in greater detail to the illustrated embodiment, and firstto FIG. 1, the universal or multiplepurpose tool T comprises a hand-gripmember 1 which is preferably hollow, the axial blind bore 1a of its bodyportion being adapted to accommodate a series of spare tool members suchas, for example, a pair of standard screw drivers 10a, 1%, a Phillipsscrew driver 11, and a round awl 12. The outer end of bore 1a at therear end of the body portion of handgrip member I is tapped and may besealed by a threaded plug 9 which thus serves as a means for preventingthe loss of spare tool members received in the bore 1a.

The forward end of-handgrip member 1 carries a coaxial externallythreaded hollow sleeve 2 whose free end, distant from the member 1, isformed with axially parallel slots 2a (see FIG.'2). The resilient prongs21: between the slots 2a are movable radiallytoward and away from theaxis of sleeve 2 .to alternately release the shaft or handle of a toolmember, shown in FIG. 1 as the handle 8 of a claw-hammer 7 which isinserted into the hollow sleeve 2 and is held therein by a knurled screwcap 3. The purpose of screw cap 3 is to press the prongs 2b against theperipheral zone of the hammer handle or shaft 8 and to thus retain sameby friction against axial and angular movements with respect to thehandgrip memher 1 and sleeve 2.

The outer or front end of handle 8 carries a hammer head comprising aflat-surfaced peen 7a and a clawed or bifurcated portion 7b whichlatter, in addition to the customary slot 7 for receiving the stem of anail or the like, is formed at its outer side which is turned away frommember 1 with a transverse recess or cutout 7 Peen 7a and clawed portion7b are located at the opposing sides of handle 8. In addition to servingits well-known purpose of driving or extracting nails and the like, theclaw hammer 7 also supports one end of an elongated fiat saw blade 6which latter carries at its longitudinal ends a pair of transverseretaining pins 6', 6", the pin 6 being received in the transverse recess7" of the hammer head while the adjacent portion of saw blade 6 passesthrough the slot 7 in parallelism with the handle 8. The othertransverse pin 6' of saw blade 6 bears against and is received in arecess formed in the rear side of a bracket 5 whose eye 5a receives thesleeve 2 and whose outer end is slotted, as at 5 (see FIG. 2) to permitpassage of that portion of blade 6 which is adjacent to the pin 6. Slots5' and 7 are aligned. The eye 5a of bracket 5 is held against angularand axial movements with respect to the handgrip member 1 by a knurledring nut 4 whose threads mesh with the external threads on the sleeve 2and normally hold the eye 5a in abutment with the forward end ofhandgrip member 1.

As a first step in assemblying the multiple-purpose tool T of FIG. 1,the handle or shaft 8 of hammer 7 is inserted into the slotted end ofhollow sleeve 2 and is securely fixed in such position by the screw cap3. The ring nut 4 is then rotated in a direction to move a shortdistance toward or into actual abutment with the screw cap 3 in order toprovide room for movements of eye 5a in the axial direction of sleeve 2.The saw blade 6 is thereupon inserted into the slots 5, 7' whereby thetransverse pin 6" enters into the recess 7" and the other pin 6' isadjacent to the rear side of the bracket 5. By rotating the nut 4 in adirection to move the eye 5a away from the screw cap 3, the saw blade 6is subjected to requisite tension for immediate use, and the pin 6 iscaused to enter into the recess 5".

The design and the material of saw blade 6 may vary depending upon-theintended use of the universal tool T. For example, a rnetal-, wood-,plasticor ice-cutting saw may be utilized. For cutting of ice blocks,the saw blade 6 should preferably consist of rustproof steel or arustproof steel alloy.

To remove the saw blade 6 from its retaining means 7b and 5, ring nut 4is rotated to move in a direction toward the screw cap 3 which enablesthe eye 5a of bracket 5 to slide about the sleeve 2 in a direction awayfrom the forward end of handgrip member 1. The saw blade is then readilyremovable from the slots 5, 7.

FIG. 2 shows the basic construction of the universal tool T with thehammer handle 8 removed from the sleeve 2. The screw cap may, but neednot, be completely separated from the sleeve 2 when a handle is insertedinto or withdrawn from the member 2. While the universal tool isutilized as a saw and/or a hammer, the smaller tool members 10a, 10b, 11and 12 are preferably stored in the bore 1a and locked therein by theplug 9.

As is shown inFIG. 3,. the universal tool T may be rapidly transformedinto a screw driver merely by inserting the tool member 12 into theslotted end of sleeve 2 and by drawing tight the screw cap 3. The ringnut 4 then performs no function and is merely threaded onto the sleeve 2between the screw cap 3 and the forward end of handgrip member 1 toprevent it from being misplaced. As is shown the bracket member 5, too,may be removed when the universal tool is used as a screw driver, an awlor the like. Each of tool members 10a, 10b, 11 and 12 is formed with ahandle or shaft whose rear end preferably comprises a pair of axiallyparallel radial ribs 13 receivable in slots 2a to prevent rotation ofthe tool members with respect to the sleeve 2 and handgrip member 1.This is particularly important when the tool is used as a screw driver.

It is preferred to provide a non-represented receptacle or bag which maybe made of leather, canvas or a suitable plastic material to receive themultiple-purpose tool T in disassembled condition. Thus, the size of areceptacle must be such as to accommodate the hammer 7, the saw blade 6,the handgrip member 1 with sleeve 2, screw cap 3 and ring nut 4connected thereto, and the bracket 5, while the tool members 10a, 10b,11 and 12, as well as a number of other implements, may be stored in thebore 1a of handgrip member 1. If desired, the exterior of the receptaclemay be provided with advertising literature or may bear instructions forassembling, disassembling and handling of the multiple-purpose tool.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge,readily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic and specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A multiple-purpose tool comprising, in combination: handgrip meanshaving a forward end; an externally threaded hollow sleeve fixed to theforward end of said handgrip means; a hammer having a head and a handle,said handle being receivable in said sleeve; means for releasablyholding the handle of said hammer in the sleeve; bracket means carriedby said sleeve; a saw blade having two ends; and means provided on saidhead, on said bracket means and on each of said saw blade ends forreleasably connecting one end of said saw blade to the head of saidhammer and for releasably connecting the other end of said saw blade tosaid bracket means.

2. A multiple-purpose tool comprising, in combination: handgrip meanshaving a forward end; an externally threaded hollow sleeve fixed to theforward end of said handgrip means; a hammer having a head and a handle,said handle being receivable in said sleeve; means for releasablyholding the handle of said hammer in the sleeve; bracket means having aneye surrounding the sleeve; a nut threaded onto the sleeve for holdingthe eye of said bracket means against the forward end of said handgripmeans; a saw blade having two ends; and means provided on said bracket,on said head and on each of said saw blade ends for releasablyconnecting one end of said saw blade to the head of said hammer and forreleasably connecting the other end of said saw blade to said bracketmeans.

3. A multiple-purpose tool comprising, in combination: handgrip meanshaving a forward end; an externally threaded hollow sleeve fixed to andhaving a slotted end distant from the forward end of said handgripmeans; a hammer having a head and a handle, said handle being receivablein the slotted end of said sleeve; a screw cap screwed onto said sleevefor releasably holding the handle of said hammer in the sleeve by urgingsaid slotted end into frictional engagement with said handle; bracketmeans carried by said sleeve; a saw blade having two ends; and meansprovided on each of said saw blade, ends, on said head and on saidbracket means for releasably connecting one end of said saw blade to thehead of said hammer and for releasably connecting the other end of saidsaw blade to said bracket means.

4. A multiple-purpose tool comprising, in combination: handgrip meanshaving a forward end; a hammer having a head and a handle, the headcomprising a peen extending to one side of said handle and a portionextending to the other side of said handle; means for releasablyconnesting said handle with the forward end of said handgrip means;bracket means; means for releasably connecting said bracket means withthe forward end of said handgrip means in such manner that the bracketmeans is aligned with said head portion; a saw blade having two ends;and means provided on said head portion, on said bracket means and ateach of said saw blade ends for releasably connecting one end of saidsaw blade to said head portion and for releasably connecting the otherend of said saw blade to said bracket means.

5. A multiple-purpose tool comprising, in combination: handgrip meanshaving a forward end; an externally threaded hollow sleeve having afirst end fixed to the forward end of said handgrip means and a slottedsecond end; a hammer having a handle inserted into the slotted end ofsaid sleeve and a head distant from said sleeve, the head having a peenextending to one side of said handle and a slotted portion extending tothe other side of said handle; a bracket having a first end formed withan eye surrounding said sleeve and a slotted second end aligned with theslotted portion of said hammer head; a ring nut threaded onto the sleeveand adapted tomove the eye of said bracket toward the forward end ofsaid handgrip means; a saw blade having ends extending through theslotted portion of said hammer head and through the slotted end of saidbracket, respectively; a transverse pin fixed to each end of said bladeand respectively engaging with the slotted portion of said hammer headand with the slotted end of said bracket for maintaining the blade intensioned condition when the eye of said bracket is moved by said nut ina direction toward the forward end of said handgrip means; and a screwcap threaded onto the slotted end of said sleeve for releasably holdingthe handle of said hammer therein.

6. A multiple-purpose tool comprising, in combination: hollow handgripmeans having a rear end and a forward end; means for removably sealingthe rear end of said handgrip means; a hammer having a handle and a headformed with a slot; means for releasably connecting said handle with theforward end of said handgrip means; bracket means having a slot; meansfor releasably connecting said bracket means with the forward end ofsaid handgrip means in such a way that the slot in said bracket means isaligned with the slot in said hammer head; and a saw blade extendingthrough the slots in said hammer head and said bracket means, the bladehaving two ends and means at said ends for releasably holding the samein the respective slots.

7. A multiple-purpose tool comprising, in combination, a hammerincluding elongated handle means and a hammer head secured to one end ofand extending transversely to said handle means so as to have a portionspaced from the handle means, said hammer head being slotted to form apair of claws and said handle means comprising a handle member connectedwith said hammer head and a handgn'p member releasably connected to saidhandle member; bracket means releasably secured to and extending fromsaid handle means in the same direction as and spaced from said portionof the hammer head, said bracket means having a portion spaced from saidhandle means; and an elongated saw blade having two end portions andsecuring means at each of said end portions, one of said securing meansreleasably securing one end portion of said blade to said pair of clawsof said hammer head and the other of said securing means releasablysecuring the other end of said blade to said bracket means whereby saidtool may be used as a hammer when said blade is not secured thereto, andas a saw when said blade is secured thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 10,500Chamberlain Feb. 7, 1854 287,809 Devereux Nov. 6, 1883 417,539 Bush Dec.17, 1889 898,667 Melton Sept. 15, 1908 1,158,092 Witter Oct. 26, 19152,091,538 Wasseth Aug. 31, 1937 2,576,869 Woltemath Nov. 27, 1951

